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Kenny says votes gap will narrow

Sat, May 26, 2012, 01:00

EOGHAN MacCONNELL

VOTING:TAOISEACH Enda Kenny expects the division between Yes and No side in the fiscal treaty referendum will “narrow” as campaigning enters its final week.

Rallying supporters in Portlaoise, Co Laois, yesterday, Mr Kenny said: “This campaign will clearly narrow in the last week as these things always do, and that’s why it is even more important that for the job creation facilities and projections that we are on here, that people go out and cast their own vote.

“It is the most important referendum for many years, it goes beyond this Government’s lifetime and it goes beyond the next government’s lifetime. It is not about the Fine Gael party or any other party. It is for the Irish people and our country and that is why I am going to continue to travel the country until the close of polls on Thursday night.

“This Yes vote is the most important thing that our voters, our electorate, will do for a very long time,” he said.

“Don’t let up on this. This won’t be alright on the day unless you go out and put your X on the box that says Yes.

“I was in Europe, in Brussels, the other day . . . It was the first time I’ve seen EU leaders begin to ask questions – who around this table is not pulling their weight in terms of cleaning up their house and paying their way in the European sense?” Mr Kenny told the crowd.

He urged his supporters to keep it simple when canvassing.

“No creates confusion, uncertainty, lack of clarity and indecisiveness – not good for investment,” he said. “No rules out access to funds for the country if they needed them. We simply cannot afford to leave that insurance policy in the dark.

“I have been in 25 of the 26 counties now. This campaign is very important and your job now is to keep interacting with the people between here and Thursday so that they are fully and properly informed about what is involved in this treaty and what is not involved in it.”

A Yes vote would allow us access to the ESM if needed, would ensure ratified countries “keep their house in order” and would support investment through stability.

“You people in Portlaoise own this referendum and you will not vote against your own children and you will not vote against your country,” Mr Kenny added. “Yes is the right thing to do here.”